NancyKay Sullivan Wessman​: “My work is my play and my play is my work.”

NancyKay writes, edits, reads, and tells stories.
She’s a public health expert through work and education. She’s also a public relations consultant and speaker. Sometimes she cooks, gardens, and entertains.

She’s written everything from annual reports to websites,
from newspaper articles to books. She values truth.
She’s also a public relations consultant and speaker.
Sometimes she cooks, gardens, and entertains. NancyKay gets stuff done.

Before getting into the business of books, NancyKay Sullivan Wessman worked as a journalist and health communicator. She helped create and lead organizations that empowered other public health public information officers to do their jobs better. She inspired other public relations professionals to set and achieve measurable objectives.

Wessman began her weekly newspaper career in her hometown of Magee, Mississippi, and moved into medical PR before taking on public health public information. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, she earned a master’s of public health degree from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Now NancyKay writes books.
She also works as an editor, speaker, and consultant

When and why did you begin writing?

“Writing began in my “toddler” years, for school and the local weekly newspaper. Because I could.”

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

“Am I?”

What inspired you to write your first book?

“Not what, but who: Gerald Berenson and Dick Wessman. Husband Dick and I attended a fund-raising gala at Tulane University, where we met Gerald Berenson, MD, founder of the 40-year-and-still-going-strong Bogalusa Heart Study. The friend who introduced us mentioned that Dr. Berenson should ‘get NancyKay to write your book.’ Wessman encouraged; Berenson allowed.”

Do you have a specific writing style?

Reportorial, journalistic.

Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?

“In both books – You Can Fix The Fat From Childhood – And Other Heart Risks, Too and in Katrina, Mississippi: Voices from Ground Zero – public health matters. Clean water and air, nutritious food, safe environment, regulated protection for patients in hospitals and nursing homes, protected child care facilities, pharmaceutical safety, access to preventive and therapeutic health care, lessons learned for better health practices, the infrastructure for water and sewage systems, transportation pathways – public health impacts individuals every day.”

Are your writings based on someone you know or events in your own life?

“The books I’ve published are based on 25 years of public service – as director of communications and public relations for the Mississippi State Department of Health, during which time I earned a master’s of public health degree from Tulane and helped create and lead organizations that empowered other public health public information officers to do their jobs better. I parlayed my education and experience to consult with the CDC, Association of Schools of Public Health, National Institutes of Health, and other health organizations.”

What books or type of books have most influenced your life as a writer?

Do you have a mentor or writing group? How does that impact your work?

“In my transformation to author, I have learned from and relied upon friends and colleagues in the Creative Nonfiction-South tribe, BB Queens and Pulpwood Queens book clubs, and Easy Writers critique group.”

“Here’s a look back to see the future. I write because I can. From school to college to the first job at The Magee Courier and as I progressed into a public relations career, writing provided the foundation. After retirement from state service, I have been fortunate to study, learn, and practice new forms of writing: creative nonfiction, long-form narrative, and even short story writing. Who knows? I might someday give fiction a try!”

What was the hardest part of writing your latest book?

“Continuing the work after my husband’s too-early death. I didn’t want to write even a sentence, and I could not develop a paragraph. But Katrina’s 10-year anniversary approached, and I knew Dick Wessman would have expected me to get it done. Thanks be to God, I did!”

“Fortunately or not, I share Senator John Stennis’ plight: “my work is my play and my play is my work.” I also like all things culinary and enjoy yardwork – not just gardening, working in the yard. And I read.”

Share this:

Like this:

Related

Published by Dot Ainsworth Day

After 25 years in the classroom as an English teacher and over twenty years as a family therapist, I am confined to home with a muscular dystrophy and have begun to write:
MEMORIES OF THE SHARECROPPER'S FAMILY, published on​ February 27 with a much-corrected second edition due November 1. I hope you enjoy learning about more Mississippi writers and their work.
THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR
In writing process: BACK WHEN: A Taste for Murder
View all posts by Dot Ainsworth Day

Recent Posts: toolittletoolatedotcom

I first read an Advanced Review Copy of Sutherland’s new book, Taking Up Serpents,a thriller featuring his cyber expert, Brody Taylor. Brody’s life is in danger and his choices put also at risk his significant other, a detective who helps him through the thrilling dangers. I am not doing credit to this extremely well-written thriller. […]

Storge–caregiving love. I will take care of you when you are well to keep you well; I will take care of you in illness because of storge love. Do you remember the story of the college president who gave up his career to provide personal care for his wife in her later days? Storge–apply to yourself so that you can love others. As a parent, I consider what is in the child’s best interests. What do I want for my child that he or she would want for himself? I want my child to be educated, socialized, able to be independent; I structure in those behaviors that work toward these purposes. I want my child to love Jesus; I model my love; I pray for and with them, take them to church.

Do you remember Charlie Brown’s typical comment? “Good Grief!” Often there is nothing good in the cause for our grief. But we do need to grieve well. In the past few days two young men whose lives touched or were touched by Copiah Academy, AKA Copiah Educational Foundation lost their lives. These are reminders for […]

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.